4 research outputs found
Introduction to Ecology: A Study on Hair and Gender
<p>Methods:
In order to assess the relationship between hair colour and gender, 23 human
subjects were surveyed. Students were placed in five groups- two groups of five
and three groups of four. The lab group I was working with consisted of four
members and each member surveyed one lab group (not including our own) and
shared data. Measurements were
categorical because gender and hair colour are measure in categories. Students
in the lab were surveyed by other students and two questions were ask 1) what
is your gender; 2) What is your hair colour, students wrote down what answers
were given. Students were allotted fifteen minutes to survey and collect data for
our lab section. This was done as a trial to allow the students to familiarize
themselves with Figshare, to better understand the difference between data and
meta-data, and to help students improve for future assignments. </p>
<p> Study
site: This study took place at York University on Thursday September 15, 2016,
in the Lumbers building room 118 lab section 04. This lab was conducted indoors.<br></p><p>Hypothesis: Hair
colour has no impact on gender because there is no genetic or chromosomal
influence that directly relates hair colour and gender.
</p><p> Predictions:
</p><p>1) The
colour spectrum in regards to hair colour for students to choose from will be
wider because of the advancement of science and the ability to dye hair. </p>
<p> 2) This
is 2016 and because it is 2016 hair colour is not contingent upon gender and
therefore the sky is the limit.
</p><p> 3) Weather
will have no impact on hair colour because the activity of colouring hair is not
permitted during the lab and science has not yet advanced to the point of hair
colour changing under certain weather conditions.
</p><p> Group
members: Brenda Espin, Kiana Malak Hosseini, Michelle Urman
</p
Techniques& Data: Field training in York University's Woodlot
<p>Methods: On Thursday September 22, 2016 students sampled plant populations and communities by using transect measuring tapes to record the measurements from the edge of the woodlot to the centre. Lab mates measured the distance between trees, diameter at breast height, and its condition, for a total of ten adult trees. Each lab mate was tasked to consistently measure one attribute each to reduce error and inconsistencies. </p>
<p> Study site: This study took place at York University’s Woodlot. This lab was conducted outdoors, the weather was mainly cloudy, humid, and a very light rain shower.</p>
<p>Hypothesis: Tress at the edge of the woodlot would be smaller than trees closer to the centre of the woodlot, because humans are the biggest driver on the global planet and would cause less disturbance amongst tress further into the woodlot and its ecological system.</p>
<p> Predictions: </p>
<p>1) The adult trees closer to the centre of the woodlot would have a greater diameter than the adult trees at the edge of the woodlot. </p>
<p> 2) The adult trees at the centre of the woodlot would be taller(more than 3 times the height of one lab mate who’s height is 167cm) compared to the adult trees at the edge of the woodlot. </p>
<p> 3) The adult trees in the centre of the woodlot would have green and fuller leaves compared to adult trees at the edge. Photosynthesis would enable the trees at the centre of the woodlot to absorb more nutrients and project a greener colour. </p>
<p>Meta-Data:</p><p>Attribues- Any tree that is three times the height of one lab mate who's height is 167cm. </p><p>Distance between trees (Meter)- The starting point is 0 and tress were measured in meters, from one tree to the next. </p><p>dbh- distance breast height, the same lab ,ever measured the dbh from their height consistently. </p><p>Conditions-0=dead, 1=living, 2= huge green canopy </p><p> Group members: Brenda Espin, Kiana Malak Hosseini, Michelle Urman</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div><br></div
York.woodlot.oct20-2016.csv
<p><b>Methods:</b></p>
<p>To assess the relationship between herbaceous plants, woody
plants, vertebrate abundance, and invertebrate abundance by using transects,
quadrats, pan traps and sweep nets, a study was conducted in the Danby Woods.
One group, consisting of four members, were each assigned a category to sample
at the study site. The latitude was 43.768756, the longitude was -79.5079, and
the elevation was 126.30201. The data collected was categorical.</p>
<p>For herbaceous plants, measurements observed within the quadrat
were recorded for abundance of native and exotic plants and total number of
flower heads. Two transects were used to make a fifty-meter path.
The quadrat was placed along the transect, alternating left and right every two
meters. This was repeated twenty-five times for a total length of fifty meters,
and twenty-five quadrats.</p>
<p>For woody plants, two transects were placed to make a fifty-meter
path. Every two meters the individual stopped to observe and record the number
of woody plants, no more than 0.5m on each side of the transect, canopy and
ground coverage, and total number of flowers. Canopy coverage was observed by
looking up and ground coverage was observed by looking down. The estimation of
coverage was made by dividing visual area into quadrats by forming a rectangle
with their hands (connecting the thumb of your right hand to the index finger
of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of coverage was recorded as a
percentage. Flowers were recorded if they were 0.5m from either side of the
transect.</p>
<p>For vertebrates and invertebrates, the student stood at the
beginning of the transect and surveyed a fifty-meter radius from their location
for fifteen minutes. The total number of vertebrates, number of different
species, and the total number of humans (not participating in the lab) were
observed and recorded. In another fifteen-minute interval the student stood at
the beginning of the transect and surveyed a five-meter radius, recording the
total number of invertebrates observed.</p>
<p>For invertebrates, a transect of fifty meters was laid down and
starting from the zero mark, six pan traps, half filled with soapy water,
were placed down in alternating colours (yellow, blue, and white) every
three meters. After forty-five minutes, the number of invertebrates
captured were recorded. Ten sweep nets were conducted along ten different
fifty- meter transects.</p>
<p><b>Study site:</b></p>
<p>This study took place in the afternoon at York University on
Thursday October 20th, 2016, in the Danby woods located south of Chimneystack
Road and parallel to the Danby grasslands. The Danby woods is a parcel of
woodlot with an abundance of forest products such as trees and saplings and can
be used for wildlife appreciation. The Danby woods is a tampered woodlot, meaning that there has been human interference(such as presence of a picnic table and cigarettes). This is a deciduous woodlot, and its green leaves that shed annually. This lab was conducted outdoors; the weather
was rainy, cloudy, and 13 degrees Celsius.</p>
<p><b>Hypothesis:</b></p>
<p>In a woodlot area, there will be a decrease in herbaceous plants
because there are less nutrients available at ground level.</p>
<p><b>Prediction 1:</b> There
will be a lower abundance of vertebrates and invertebrates in the woodlot.</p>
<p><b>Prediction 2: </b>There will be a higher amount of
canopy coverage in the woodlot.</p>
<p><b>Prediction 3:</b> There is
a decrease of flower heads in the woodlot.</p>
<p> <b>Meta Data</b></p>
<p><b>Habitat:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Each individual collected one data set in the Danby
woodlot at York University.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Native Plants:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped
randomly on alternating sides of a fifty meter transect. Quadrats had a
two-meter distance between them. Once quadrat was dropped the number of native
plants were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Exotic Plants:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped
randomly on alternating sides of a fifty-meter transect. Quadrats had a
two-meter distance between them. Once the quadrat was dropped, the number of
exotic plants were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Flower Heads (in quadrats):</b></p>
<p>Categorical- A one meter by one-meter quadrat was dropped
randomly on alternating sides of a fifty-meter transect. Quadrats had a
two-meter distance between them. Once the quadrat was dropped, the number of
flower heads were counted. This was repeated twenty-five times.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Woody Plants:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect and
stopped every two meters to count the number of woody plants within 0.5 meters
of either side of transect. Woody plants were defined as any tree taller than
1.5 meters.</p>
<p><b>Canopy Coverage:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect,
stopping every two meters to look up and estimate canopy coverage. The
estimation was made by dividing visual area into quadrats by forming a
rectangle with their hands (connect the thumb of your right hand to the index
finger of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of coverage was recorded
as a percentage.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Flower Heads (along transect):</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect
stopping every two meters to look down and count the number of flower heads.</p>
<p><b>Ground Coverage:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual walked along a fifty-meter transect,
stopping every two meters, to look down and estimate the amount of vegetation
covering the ground. The estimation was made by dividing visual area into
quadrats by forming a rectangle with their hands (connect the thumb of your
right hand to the index finger of your left hand and vice versa). The amount of
coverage was recorded as a percentage.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Humans:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual surveyed a fifty-meter radius and
recorded the number of humans in that area. This was done for fifteen minutes.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Vertebrates:</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual surveyed a fifty-meter radius and
recorded the number of vertebrates in that area. This was done for fifteen
minutes.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Invertebrates (observation):</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Individual surveyed a five-meter radius and
recorded the number of invertebrates in that area. This was done for fifteen
minutes.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Invertebrates (pan traps):</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Six pan traps were laid in alternating colours
(white, blue, yellow) and were half way filled with soapy water. Pan traps had
a three-meter distance between them. The traps were left alone for forty-five
minutes, after which the number of each invertebrate was counted.</p>
<p><b>Abundance of Invertebrates (sweep net):</b></p>
<p>Categorical- Ten sweep nets were conducted along ten different
fifty-meter transects. At the end of each sweep, the total number of
invertebrates in the net was counted.</p
Ecology Field Research on Campus Pond and Impermeable surfaces
<p>Methods: In order to assess the relationship between pond and impermeable
surface students sampled herbaceous plants, woody plants, vertebrate abundance,
and invertebrate abundance, by using transects, quadrants, pan traps and sweep
nets. One group, which consisted of four members were each assigned a category
to sample. All steps were conducted twice, once for the pond, and once for the
impermeable surface. The data is categorical and discrete. This took place at
York University. </p>
<p> For herbaceous plants, measurements
observed within the quadrant were recorded for abundance of native and exotic
plants and total number of flower heads. Two transects were used to make a fifty meter
path and was placed parallel to the pond.
At every two meters, the quadrant was placed along the transect and randomly
alternating the quadrant left and right, this was repeated twenty five times
for a total length of fifty meters, and twenty five quadrants. </p>
<p>For woody plants two transects were placed in order to make a fifty meter path.
Every two meters the individual stopped to observe and record number of woody
plants no more than 0.5m on each side of the transect, canopy coverage, and
total number of flowers. Canopy coverage was observed by looking up, ground
coverage was recorded by looking down, and flowers were included if they were
0.5m from either side of the transect. </p>
<p>For vertebrates and invertebrates the student stood at the beginning of the
transect and surveyed a fifty meter radius, from their location for fifteen
minutes. The total number of vertebrates, number of different species, and the
total number of humans not participating in the lab were observed and recoded.
In another fifteen minute interval the student stood at the beginning of the
transect and surveyed a five meter radius, and recorded the total number of
invertebrates observed. </p>
<p>For invertebrates, a transect of fifteen meters was
laid down parallel to the pond and starting from the zero mark, six pan
traps, half filled with soapy water, were placed down in alternating colours
(yellow,blue, and white) every 3 meters. After a period of time the
number of invertebrates captured were recorded. Ten sweep nets, were conducted
along the fifty meter transect. </p>
<p> Study site: This study took place at York University on Thursday
October 7<sup>th</sup>, 2016, in two areas, (1) the Stong pond, located on the
north side of The Pond road and (2) the baseball Passey Road located south of
The Pond Road. This lab was conducted outdoors; the weather was mainly sunny,
hot, 24 degrees Celsius and occurred between 3pm-4:45pm.
</p><p>Hypothesis: A higher abundance of vertebrate and invertebrate would be
observed at the Stong pond because a humans are the biggest driver on the
global planet and would cause less disturbance amongst the pond area and its
ecological system. </p>
<p> Predictions: </p>
<p>1) As vegetation increased the amount of resources increased, because more
area allows for more species to be observed undisturbed. </p>
<p> 2) The higher the canopy coverage, the cooler the area, because the
sunlight and heat would be a natural shaded area, creating a lower temperature
and lower carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. </p>
<p> 3) The pond location would have more observable species compared to
the impermeable surface because climate conditions such as temperature and
rainfall enable most plants and animals to thrive. </p